The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-07-21
A HAPLESS NEW YORK GIRL.
Her Absurd Infatuation for PranZini. the
Brutal Murderer of Three French Women.

S~~S~---~-
zini. the eastardly murderer of poor Marie Reg
naut. whose trial commences to-day. From
these letters it appears that the writer. the
daughter of a New York banker, became ac-
qnainted with the plausible adventurer while
spending The fall of 1856 at one of the large ho-
tells in Paris. The acquaintance soon ripened
into something warmer. will be revealed by
the passages from the correspondence which L
give below. There seems to be no reasonable
doubt that the murder of Marie Regnault was
planned and executed with the purpose of OBJ
tanning sufficient money to carry the Italian ad-
venturer to New York, where young girl with
more money than brains was waiting to throw
herself into his arms. If, after having killed
and robbed the young Marie, who had placed
such trust in him. the scoundrel had not IN the
hurry of fight left behind him on the scene OF
the murder pair of cuffs which gave the police
clue which resulted in his arrest. there can be
no doubt that Pranzini, under some other and
perhaps more noble name, would have been an
interesting figure in the society of Newport and
Bar Harbor this summer
The day subsequent to her arrival in New
York from Paris Miss E. writes:
my family is happy at seeing US all well again
and at home. They were always afraid that
some misfortune would befall as alone in Paris
Something indeed did befal me. and am so
glad of it! My mother desires me to say that
remembers you with affectionate interest, which
is very lucky. because she is a woman of strong
prejudices- If you come here just send me a
line, saying, L here You may then come
and see my family often you wish
1.-The city is very attractive in winter-almost
as nice as Paris. But New York is not wicked,
rather so immoral as Paris. The French you
know, trumpet their vices to the world; we hide
Like all great cities. of course, New York
is immoral, but the women are not so frivolous
as the Parsiennes, and there is much more fami-
~ life.
"Grand Dieu! When 1 remember how gave
myself to you without reservation on the fatal
day, how / placed myself entirely at your mercy.
! tremble. because you would never believe that
loved then for the first time. and that was
so blinded by the love bore you that / could re-
fuse nothing. / should have waited until, as
you promised, you had made me your wife.
have made terrible mistake-that is, unless
you come to New York and reassure me that it
is not SO terrible after all My mother is sur
prised at the depth OF my love for you. She be-
lieves. however, in fatality. and thinks that do
we'll in obeying the impulses of my heart
you told me. that last night we spent to-
gether in Paris, that when you were young your
father told you to grow up strong and athletic
not to be too intellectual, but to have lots of
muscle and common sense. You also told me
that you were very sensitive and lmpressonable,
and that often the least thing would quite upset
you-a little nothing, about which most people
would not think an instant. All this tells me
sensitive and impressionabie people,
II recall now all the little things which passed
between US, even those things which displeased
you, my love- I always wear veil now. and
lower my eyes when men are around me, for l
wish to keep my eyes for you alone was SO
glad to see that you were so strong and fearless
that evening you spoke to me of the enemies
that harassed you / do not love men who
all fat and flesh. 1 love manly strength and
common sense"
Miss E. g letters follow at short intervals of
fhroa and daU than at
in order to explain away his inability to come to
America. Pranzini had concocted a story TO the
effect that he was detained in Paris By law salt
in which his whole fortune" was at stake In
another letter she says:
Patti is here on her farewell visit as usual.
OF course that does not mean that it is the last
tim she will sing here-she makes much
money for that. L often think of the days /
spent in Paris: OF the Rue de Rivol so bright
and gay; of the crowded boulevards, and most
of all, of our dinners at d. g. | was never, new
er so happy as when walking with you and lis
tening to your English. You must know, my
dear. that love in you the strange element
Among my countrymen | know many who are
handsome and even attractive but a general
thing they have no sentiment, and live
sentiment"
In December Miss Emily writes: paris is the
most vicious city on the face of the earth; there
is such low standard of morality. There is
one good thing about the Parisians. however;
they conceal nothing. There is much depravity
and dissipation here, but not the same hardihood
is shown in the committing of it. Besides.
there are many societies for the suppression of
vice.
II wish very much to have you leave that
great, corrupt city. 1t is SO full of adventures,
of roues and of all manner of temptations. I
would like very much to study italian, but the
accent is too much for me. But sing an Italian
song every day. in my Imagination at least, and
as sing 80 t'amo tanto," l kiss your photo
graph. went to church last Sunday and came
home greatly edited that my family hardly
knew me-"
During the carly weeks of 1887 Miss E. COM
plains bitterly that her letters not answered.
Prantzini, who doubtless at the time fully
occupied with other intrigues, at last resorts to
q heroic measure which at once saves him from
the displeasure of his mistress and casts the
mantle of romance about his life-he dictates to
a friend cablegram which announces that he
had been desperately wounded in duel but is
now out of danger On the 18th of March, the
day before Pranzina committed his dastardly
crime, Miss E. writes:
This morning was playing on the violin
when your dispatch arrived. L happy
that could have sung on all day with this as
the burden of my song My darling is out of
danger, out of danger My father has learned
that we correspondent and has taken mamma Sc
verely to task about it. She told him all about
our little romance of last vinter-that is as much
as poor mamma knows about it"
This is the last of the American letters Prob
ably before another was written, some morning
in the very bosom of her family through the
cable accounts in the World, Miss E. learned the
sinister character of her adorable Don Juan.
Among PrauZinls effects are many other letters
which show the wonderful attraction he pos
sessed for woman-an attraction which is not
be explained by his personal appearance. which
was only passable-but unfor tunately for
national pride, none of these letters show such
obliouity of moral vision and general weakness
or rather want of character, as those written by
"Our American Girl" who. fortunately, is a rara
avis and not typical of her kind.
few months ago an immense sensation was
caused in Paris by the discovery of three dead
bodies in a handsome fiat. of the Rue MontaIgne
one of the streets leading off the Cha nps Eysee.
The victims were Mile. Marie Regnault. a we'll
known demi mondaine. whose protectors" were
mostly men of a mature and even advanced
age; her maid, who slept in adjoining room.
and the latter g little ten-year-old daughter Ma
rie who the god-child of Mile Regnault
They had all three been knitted in the most
scientific manner A few days later Levantine
adventurer of the name of Pranzini was arrested
at Marseilles with of the jewels of the
d lead bonnie in his possession.
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